This Time Won't You Save Me
by starrgalaxy
Summary: Set back in high school days the girls notice Alison is acting weird. They all agree that someone should talk to her about it. However a discovery in Ali's home life leads to more concerns than answers. Probably a 3 shot. review so I can continue. You will recognize some scenes and it's kinda AU. Emison mentioned. Spencer/Ali friendship
1. Chapter 1

"Okay so we can go classic with 'How Harry met Sally' we can watch 'The Notebook for like the millionth time-," Spencer flips through her case of DVDs.

"I don't care you can decide," Alison replied with a light chuckle.

It had been a while since the two girls hung out one on one, so being in Spencer's room with just the two of them was awkward for the tall brunette. Alison wasn't much of a talker, anytime she'd stay over Ali would much rather give clipped and cryptic answers to questions regarding her beau's whether present or past. Although It may have something to do with Spencer droning on all day about Mona Vanderwaal attempting to take her spot on just about every academic record Spencer has set for Rosewood High. Still, smirking and tilting your head to the side has never and won't ever be a suitable answer to 'Who's hotter Ryan Gosling or Brad Pitt'. As Spencer watched the blonde tentatively paint her nails the perfect shade of pink (What's it called? Party in my Cabana?) she notices how different the infamous girl is when they're not in public. More approachable? No, more human. It was then Spence remembered the reason she invited Alison over, "by the way you've been kinda M.I.A for the past week is everything okay?" The bookworm noticed Ali physically tense at her words; stopping the ministrations on her toes.

"What are you talking about," the blonde deadpanned.

Spencer closed her DVD case and sat up on her bed, "it's just me and the other girls haven't seen you this whole week. Anytime we catch you in the hallway you avoid us like the plague!"

"And," Alison said clearly annoyed tending to her nails again.

"and you don't think it's odd? You walking the opposite way while we're yelling your name down the hall like a bunch of prepubescents in a fan club? Alison what's going on?," Spence had had it with the nonchalant behaviour from Alison. It was normal for her to keep the girls at arms length, but Alison usually showed those girls off like they were her trophy prizes given the opportunity. The field hockey player actually missed her mouthy friend not that she would tell anyone. Alison shot up from her seat and took off her robe revealing a fuschia dress that hung tightly on every curve.

"I'm going out," she announced.

"unbelievable, every time we make plans the second something better comes along you ditch me," Spencer already regretted her words. Showing Ali any amount of emotion usually lead to sabotage and turmoil.

"Oh come on Spence you're telling me you actually want to sit in your room and watch played out DVDs or do you wanna go to a college party where cute Frat guys will be," Alison couldn't believe how juvenile her friend could be sometimes.

The studious teen stared at the scandalously dressed blonde with her arms folded. No way was she going to sit and watch while immature college kids get hammered and make out with each other; Syphilis much? Ali must have taken the hint as she stormed out of the room shaking her head.

It's a typical day at Rosewood High all the teens buzzed about the latest gossip and put together last minute kickback plans for the weekend. Alison felt good enough to wear her new _Frame le color_ ripped skinny jeans. She paired it with some all black knee high boots and a purple lace top; simplicity is key. All of the girls were discussing a new plan to get Aria noticed by Noel Kahn.

"I'm telling you Aria if you really wanna impress Noel have on five inch heels and nothing else when he walks in his cabin," Hanna beamed while fixing her lipstick in Alison's locker mirror.

"Han I'm not about to break into Noel's cabin and sit there naked praying he doesn't bring his posse of idiots with him," Aria half whispered.

"Of course not who prays naked? Now that's just creepy. Get a grip Ar," Hanna joked earning chuckles from the rest of the clan. They all had literature next period and Mrs Montgomery constantly reminded the girls that they won't get special treatment, so they all headed to class before the bell rang. "So Em how are things with you and Pa-", Alison gaped down at her now soiled shirt. Lucas Gottesman a kid in their grade had spilled 7up all over Alison including her black boots. Who the hell drinks 7up anyway?

"What the hell," the angry blonde screamed at the shaking teen who was now attempting to wipe the excess liquid off of Alison's boots with his sleeve.

"I'm so sorry," Lucas began to wipe harder.

Alison was tired of this pathetic display. She noticed her friends waiting for her reaction, "don't touch me"!

"It was just an accident," The frightened boy said while standing.

"Is that what the doctors told your mom and dad at the hospital," Ali skillfully retorted.

"What," Lucas asked confused.

"I've heard the stories about you hermie," the blonde tilted her head to the side in mock empathy.

By this time all the girls were uncomfortable. They hated when Ali acted like this. The entire school labeled them as bitches because little Miss Queen Bee didn't know how to hold her slick tongue, but as always they stood in complete silence.

Lucas began to pick up his bookbag and the displaced items,"my name is Lucas".

Hanna took note of the look of pure hurt and disgust written all over his face. To her Lucas seemed like a pretty nice kid. He always offered to tutor other kids in chemistry, and after Hanna's makeover he helped her get all of the pictures she wanted into the yearbook.

"You'll always be hermie to me. Do you still have both," Ali smirked.

"What are you talking about," Lucas failed to meet the blonde's eyes.

"Come on girls" Alison called over her shoulder as she headed to literature. Aria noted how late they were and the look of disappointment that's going to be on her mother's face. Emily twiddled with her fingers. Why was Ali so mean to him? She was never like that when it was just the two of them. She was sweet almost.

"Both what Ali," Hanna said running a little to keep up with Alison's stride.  
"Parts Hanna, he's half guy half girl," Queen bee said nonchalantly.

Spencer cradled her coffee like it was the last brew on earth.

All of the girls minus Alison of course met at Spencer's after school to work on their school's danceathon. Aria and Spencer pushed a wooden box that Aria swore reached her head into Spencer's living room.

" I didn't think it would get here in time for the dance," Aria grunted out through strained breaths.

Hanna sat on the Hastings' chaise reading a magazine; more like looking at the pictures.

"So this came from someone at your mom's gallery," Hanna pretended to be interested in what the girls were doing. She didn't understand why they always volunteered to do things for people who hated them. That's just stupid.

"Where is your mom," Emily got up from the couch to inspect the box.

Aria hated when her friends asked about her parents. It's already embarrassing that they know her father cheated on her mother, but to discuss the aftermath of it all…

"There's an apartment above the gallery so," Aria played with her black suspenders.

Hanna looked up from the Vogue she was glued to," It's kind of weird isn't it? Your mom moving out"?

"Yeah like my dad should have left that's what you should expect right," the tiny brunette regretted it as soon as it left her lips.

Hanna actually looked hurt. Her father leaving is a sensitive subject for her. She didn't realize it at the time, but about a week later she had her first introduction to bulimia.

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. The whole thing just sucks," Aria said.

"I know," Hanna smiled solemnly.

Emily began unscrewing the box," So did anyone call Shelly Leonard?"

"Done," Spencer interjected. "I told her if she plays anything depressing I will kick in her cello!"

"You guys speaking of depressing has anyone noticed Ali lately? Like what the hell has her so wound up? I swear it's like that girl's out for blood," Aria started.

Spencer stayed quiet taking in all the girls had to say about their friend's overdone behaviour. She knows something's up and when Spencer wants to find something out she does there's no ifs ands or buts about it.

"Hey Em, why don't you go over there after we're done here. You know if anyone can get Ali talking it's you." Hanna suggested.

The other girls laughed. All of them knew what happened between Alison and Emily in the library years ago and found every moment they could to joke about it.

"No seriously Em you should," the bug eyed brunette agreed.

Emily was annoyed, everytime something went wrong between any of the girls they would send Emily to conciliate.

"Why me," she whined.

"Because you're the hardest to disappoint," Spencer pointed out.  
"It's the eyes," Aria replied.

The girls wrapped up their plans for the Dance-athon after Hanna claimed she could see the insides of her eyelids. They all packed up their things and sent Emily on her way with words of encouragement in case Alison lashed out at her. Alison's house sits directly beside Spencer's they basically would share a yard if the Hastings didn't have that huge fence around their property. It was now or never. The athlete was about to ring the Dilaurentis' doorbell when Jason stormed past her in a wave of blonde hair and denim jeans bumping Emily in the process. She meant to call after him, but he looked so angry the brunette opted out. Luckily, he left the door ajar, so Emily invited herself in. Who said Ali was even home? She knew she should have called before coming. Emily took the stairs two at a time, a habit she'd picked up since she was a child. Her father used to joke saying that's how her legs grew to be that long. When Em reached Alison's door she knocked on it softly,"Ali"?

There was no answer, but Emily could hear someone rummaging around. Emily opened the door to find Alison folding clothes on her bed with never ending tears streaking her face. Emily noted the broken vase on the floor near the dresser. Flowers were on the floor with water trickling down the dresser.

"Alison is everything okay," Emily inched towards the bed.

The blonde made no attempt to look at Emily since she'd entered the room. It mad Emily uneasy.

" Ali what's wrong," now Emily stood directly above a sitting Alison.

Alison continued to sniffle and focus on the clothes in the basket. The girls always joked about how Ali folded like she was a department store manager with a bad case of OCD. Emily gently moved the folded clothes out of the way so she could sit.

"Alison please talk to me you're scaring me. I saw Jason when I left is he the reason you're crying? Did he do something?"

Emily remembered the time the blonde came to Spencer's house upset because of Jason and his stoner friends. She always wondered what bothered her so much that night. It made her angry that anyone of Jason's old A.V club members had the nerve to mess with Ali.

Alison began wiping her tears and shaking her head, " no, nothing I was just thinking of my mom. You know that always makes me sad Em."

Emily watched Alison intently and caressed her face. It's always a touchy subject. The girls usually tiptoed around it, but Emily knew Alison always thought about her mother. Jessica Dilaurentis found out she had an advanced and inoperable cancer shortly after giving birth to Alison. By the time Ali was five, Jessica had fought her last battle and lost. Since then the Dilaurentis family dynamic hadn't been the same. Alison tries her best to remember her mom, but the older she gets the more the lady with the big smile in all the family photos dissipates from her mind. Emily pulled the blonde in for a hug. She never knew what to say to these types of things, so she decided not to say anything.

"Will you stay with me," Alison whispered.

"Of course,"Emily smiled.

Spencer was tired of Mona already. The petite and fashionable girl had just joined the STEM club which of course Spencer was the treasurer of. The guys on the team fauned over Spence since the day she joined. The closest they've come to having a girlfriend was well never. She's not even sure if they have ever been to a boy girl party. Now every time Mona walked into a club meeting she'd have five boys pulling out a chair for her to sit, but Spence wasn't jealous of course not. This jog was not helping Spencer with her Mona problems, so she decided to go sit in her barn and sulk. The known shortcut between her and Alison's house had been used so much by her and her friends that the grass dipped where she walked. Spencer was almost at her barn when she heard yelling coming from the Dilaurentis house. Naturally, Spencer's curiosity got the best of her, and she slowly made her way to the Dilaurentis patio door.

Alison knew she shouldn't have been home at this time. She should have followed her routine: stay at one of the girl's house until their mother told them to call it a night, go to her favorite diner where the waitress Cindy always gave her free ice cream that she never finishes, drive home and wait for thirty minutes until she knows he's asleep then sneak up to her bedroom. The school week had taken so much energy out of her that she just wanted to crash immediately. This is all the blonde could think of as she sat on her kitchen floor squeezing her knees to her chest waiting to be accosted.

"Who do you think you are?"

Alison didn't know how to answer the question. What was she supposed to say? Who was she? Who do you think you are? The blonde could hear her own voice yelling the question now. Who the hell are you? Who. The. Hell. Are. You! Ali couldn't think straight nothing came to her mind, so she sat dumbfounded with her mouth agape.

"Answer me Goddamnit," he grabbed the blonde violently by the arms and repeatedly shook her.

You better answer him you're only making things worse ya know. Was that her mother talking to her?

"Dad, please," the teen choked out.

Alison didn't understand when her father acted like this. He used to be the sweetest man she knew, but looking into the man's eyes she saw a dark shade of blue that she hated. Kenneth continued to shake Ali forcing her head to hit the wall.

"This is all your fault. If you wouldn't have came along I'd still have my beautiful wife you know that right," Kenneth's voice was eerily calm as he placed his forehead against his daughter's.

Ali nodded her head in agreement. Of course she knew it was her fault. Who else was to blame?

"No, I want to hear you say it,"kenneth seethed while holding her wrists.

Ali's shoulders shook as the sob she'd been holding in overtook her body. Her father stared at her looking utterly disgruntled and Ali continued to weep. Look at his eyes. It's going to get worse from here and you know it. Stop being a bitch and do what he says. Alison said to herself.

"It- it's my fault, I'm sorry," the blonde said through sniffs.

The slap that came afterwards surprised the teen.

"Good, now go to your room," Kenneth screamed. Alison yelped and sprinted to her room holding her now stinging cheek before her father could change his mind.

Spencer could not believe what she just saw. Was that a hallucination? Did Mr. D actually slap Alison and send her to her room as if she was texting at Sunday dinner? A sharp pang of guilt hit the brunette. Spence watched the entire scene play out. She hadn't budged one bit to defend Ali. Too scared to move. Too scared to breathe, irrationally thinking they would hear. With that, Spencer ran into her house deciding not to tell the girls until she spoke with Alison. Luckily the girls already had plans to stay the night in Spencer's barn tomorrow.

Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer all sat in the Hastings newly renovated barn. The tall brunette had finally convinced her parents to allow her to have it after countless interrupted family dinners. As the girls adamantly sipped red solo cups filled with Vodka and juice provided by no one other than the Hanna Marin they chatted about Emily's 'Paige' situation. Emily thought Paige was too clingy. She constantly texted and accused Emily of being too close to Alison. The girls specifically Hanna wiped their eyes free of tears from laughing too much when Emily told them the Alison comment. Emily smiled at her friends and took a long sip of her drink. Just then the lights to the barn cut out and the music halted.

"Whoa what happened," Hanna looked to Spencer.

"It must be the storm," Spencer was always prepared.

She lit the candles that sat on the coffee table and threw Aria a flashlight since she appeared the most freaked out. All the girls jumped and huddled together when they heard a creaking sound.

"Something's out there," Aria whispered as she pointed the flashlight in the direction of the sound.

"Guys," Hanna whispered for what she didn't know.

Thinking as one, they all crept closer to the barn door. Spencer was about to write it off as a racoon when the sound of glass shattering sent everyone into hysterics. They stood stock-still staring at the door. Emily prayed it was an animal. Suddenly, something jumped out at them and shrieks echoed off the barn walls.

"Gotcha," Ali laughed walking further inside.

Aria and Emily nervously chuckled as the lights flickered on.

"So not funny Alison,"Spencer half yelled.

Ali pulled out her phone, "I know it was hilarious!"

Seeing her friend made Spencer think about the day prior and the talk she was about to have later on tonight.

"Drink up," the bossy blonde told her friends.

Somehow Ali never got drunk at these things. Spencer noticed that she would babysit one drink all night and watch as the others made stupid jokes and laughed until their sides hurt. About two hours later, Hanna slept with her head laid on Emily's lap and Emily rested hers on the arm of the chair. Aria tried to hold out, but it was nearly impossible with the amount of alcohol her small body ingested. Spencer and Alison sat sprawled out on the only bed in the barn.

"So you ready for this? Some dude in Germany went on a dating website and advertised for someone he could kill and eat," Alison read from a trashy magazine.

"Shutup," Spencer said halfheartedly.

"I'm serious it got like two hundred and twenty responses. Why does every woman think that she could change a guy?"

Spencer figured this was her in. If she didn't bring it up now she wasn't ever going to.

"Speaking of guy, I haven't seen Jason in a while how's he doing," ever since the girls found out they shared a brother it's been a really tough subject. Their parents thought they were oblivious, but being friends with Ali you learn quickly how to keep a secret. The blonde visibly tensed no longer flipping through the magazine like a maniac," he's not at home so much these days. Says he's working on renovations to an apartment so he could start renting to tenants. The house is pretty quiet now though."

Spencer could sense the sadness behind Ali's words no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"I thought you always wanted to be an only child," Spencer joked.

"Everyone says that Spence, but when you're used to having someone there and suddenly you hardly see them it's hard," Alison stared right into her friend's eyes.

Spencer was shocked. All she expected was one of Ali's typical 'what's with the third degree' remarks. She decided to keep the conversation going before the blonde shutdown.

"The reason I asked about Jason is because I stopped by your house yesterday after my run and-"

"We should get some sleep," Alison interrupted.

Spencer saw the flicker of fire in Ali's eyes and knew it was the end of the conversation.


	2. Chapter 2

About a week went by after the failed confrontation between Alison and Spencer. Spence made sure she gave Ali a once over everyday at lunch to check for any bruising, so far her skin has been clear; as far as Spencer could see. Alison noticed the weird way Spence had been acting. Everyday she'd call to invite her over saying she was bored with studying by herself and needed someone to quiz her. Ali took any chance to get out of the house, so it didn't really bother her. It's Saturday night and Ali was spending quality time with a much tanner brunette.

"Stop moving,"Ali smiled as she painted Emily's toes 'Bleu De France'.

"I can't help it. It tickles,"Emily squirmed again.

"Get over it," the blonde blew on her friend's toe to dry the polish quicker.

Emily was nervous for her swim off on Monday. She questioned if she should hold back and let Paige win considering the amount of arguing they've been doing for three days now. Emily couldn't imagine the type of tension beating Paige for anchor would bring.

"You need to break up with Paige," Alison sighed.

"What? Why?," Emily's eyes nearly left her skull.

Alison stopped painting and looked Em in her eyes,"because you deserve better."

"She's a flathead and deep down you know it's not right,"Ali continued.

Emily had been thinking if her and Paige were compatible for a long time. She has had little flings before Paige and never have they argued the way Paige did with her.

"Sometimes it feels right,"Emily held her head down.

"Pleeaase,"Ali chuckled as she screwed the cap on the polish.

Emily has never spoken a bad word about any of Alison's on again off again boyfriend's, but here Ali is telling her she needs to break up with Paige.

"She's not that bad," the brunette said twiddling with her fingers.

"That's what's left on the buffet table after everyone has made their choices Em. You don't make a decision and that's what you end up with," Alison never understood Emily's attraction to Paige.

"Paige really cares about me and I don't want to hurt her feelings,"Emily whispered.

"Stop taking care of everyone but yourself,"Ali responded easily.

"Alison," Emily was sure Ali was calling her a pushover.

"You need to be careful what you're good at hon because you'll spend the rest of your life doing it," the blonde seemed to be looking past the brunette; in a world of her own.

"If you need me to do the deed I'm happy to,"Ali smirked.

Emily moved her pillow to her stomach, "what deed?"

"Breaking up with Paige I've done it for lots of people," for some reason Ali didn't seem particularly proud of the 'good' deeds she's done.

"That's so wrong. Who would ask you to do something like that?"

It's no secret that Paige and Ali has had a feud that was as old as time, so it wasn't news to Emily that Ali would want to hurt Paige's feelings.

"Sometimes people don't have a choice," Emily swore Alison was about to cry.

"Other foot," the blonde smiled.

Hanna paced her kitchen floor ranting a mile a minute about her boyfriend Sean Ackard joining the abstinence club while Aria stared at her laptop screen.

"and that's why we need to make a plan to ruin this god forsaken club," Hanna's pacing halted.

Aria's eyes were still glued to the screen.

"Aria are you even listening to me? I'm going through a crisis here and you- why are you looking at pictures of bald, fat men," Hanna fixed her white ruffled shirt.

"I'm looking for a guy for my mom," the quirky teen narrowed down the preferences to see who would be a match for her mother.

"I don't know I just thought that she could try online dating."

Both girls curiously scanned the everyday Joe's that appeared shortly after.

"Your mom's divorced not desperate. This is why I need Spence or Ali here they'd understand. Plus they would willingly devise a plan to help me end this cockblocker club," Hanna opened the refrigerator and stared at it's contents.

"Did you just say cockblocker," Aria beamed.

Spencer sat in her room surrounded by a pile of paper, flashcards, and water. She was studying for the upcoming club competition, and her opponent was none other than Mona Vanderwaal. If it took her all night to remember what island Alexander Hamilton immigrated from in 1772 then so be it she was pulling an all nighter. She was 53 cards in when she received a text.

Spencer was willing to lose a few hours of study time for her friend. Not five minutes went by before she saw blonde curls peek threw her room door. Alison pushed some of the note cards out of the way and sprawled out on top of the comforter.

"Your mom let me in," Ali's eyes were closed.

Spencer didn't notice at first, but looking at the girl lying still on her bed she could tell something was off. Her usual blonde curls lay almost limp on her shoulders, she wore blue sweatpants and a salmon colored shirt that was two times too big.

"Are you okay Ali," Spencer closed her book and stood in front of the bed.

Ali's eyes remained shut," I just need sleep and it doesn't seem like I'm gonna get any in that house anytime soon."

The tall teen sat besides the blonde and gave her a playful poke," I thought you said the house was quiet with Jason gone."

Alison didn't say anything she delved deeper into Spencer's bed.

"Listen, Ali Last week I was walking into my barn through our shortcut, and I heard some things that I know weren't meant for me to hear," Spencer noticed Ali sit up.

"Now before you say anything just listen. I heard screaming. Well, more like yelling. I went to your patio door to see if everything was okay and I saw what happened Ali."

The blonde began to shake her head,"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about what I saw with my own two eyes Alison. Your dad. He-he hurt you! He shook you and then slapped you in the face. I don't know exactly what he was saying but I know what I saw," Spencer couldn't hide her red rimmed eyes anymore as she let a tear roll down to her chin.

Alison stared at the brunette with tears streaming down her face.

"Please Spence don't tell anyone," Ali choked out.

Spencer immediately pulled her in for a hug,"that wasn't the first time was it?"

"No," Alison whispered ashamed.

"He gets in these weird moods where he's not himself. It's like he's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but lately I can't seem to tell the difference between the two," Ali wiped her face free of tears.

There was a comfortable silence in the room. Neither of them felt the need to say anything. Spencer rubbed Alison's back reassuring her that everything would be okay. After about five steady minutes of silence Spence asked Alison to stay the night. The entire situation was overwhelmingly embarrassing for Ali. She was supposed to be the strong one. The girl that didn't let anything get to her. Afterall she was the Alison Dilaurentis. Ugh she hated that last name. There were days she dreamt of getting married and finally dropping the name or even have the courts change it before she said 'I do'. It carried too much baggage, following her around town like a gator scoping for it's next meal. Always there. Never leaving. The blue-eyed teen couldn't bring herself to tell Spencer that she was supposed to be home before her dad returned from dinner with a client.

"I Just have to lock up the house. I was only planning on staying for like an hour," Ali toyed with her keys.

"Oh, you want me to come with," Spencer said standing.

"No that's okay. I'll be right back," Ali turned on her heel and exited the room.

All she had to do was: stay in her room until her dad came home which should be in about ten minutes, Let him see that she was actually in the house, and sneak out after he'd seen her face. Lately Kenneth has been a stickler about curfew. All of Ali's years on Earth and this was the first time she's ever had a curfew. It came out of the blew. One day he told her to be home by 9:00 and she entered at around 9:35 and her dad completely lost it. After screaming at the top of his lungs about disobedient children and the way they're being brought up, he poured a box of grits on the floor. Alison stared at the mess on the floor confused by her father's actions. It wasn't until he made her neal in the crunchy yellow grains for all of 35 minutes that she realized what it was for. She couldn't wear dresses for a long-winded two weeks until the festering sores on her knees began to heal.

The egotistical blonde made her way home slothfully slow, scoping out the house to make sure she beat Mr. Dilaurentis.

"Nice to see how much you take our little chats to the heart," Alison stopped her slow trek up the stairs.

"What," she refused to meet her father's eyes.

"Not even less than twenty four hours after my request. Why were you out," the malicious tinge in her father's voice caused Ali to turn around.

Maybe if he sees she's sorry then…

"I just needed some air," she uttered fiddling with the bottom of her shirt.

It was days like this where Ali wished she had multiple siblings so it would be harder to keep track of who did what or even who was who. Sometimes she spent days daydreaming about having a twin sister whom's life was so much better than hers. She would meet her not-so freckled twin like Lindsay Lohan in 'The Parent Trap'. However they would meet in the mall or at a huge chateau instead of on a swampy camping trip.

Aria sat cross-legged on Hanna's spare twin bed that was left after Emily's brief stay at the Marin's residence. It was now cluttered in mounds of clothes that Hanna "forgot" to fold. The bug-eyed brunette had been in this room hundreds of times and each time she wondered how Hanna focused on one single object with the copious amount of pink. She peered at Hanna curiously. Any other day Hanna would talk a mile a minute now the room is awkwardly quiet except for 'Mean Girls' playing in the back.

Hanna thumbed through her camera roll searching for pictures of her and Emily. Out of all the girls Hanna shared the tightest bond with Emily, but since Emily and Paige hit it off the two besties never had any quality time.

"Hanna," Aria finally said.

"I'm just thinking about Emily. I know it's a bit selfish, but why does it feel like Paige is trying to separate Em from the rest of us. I mean, the only time we really see her is at lunch. First Ali now Em? At this rate we're gonna end up just like the plastics," Hanna gestured towards the television.

Aria stood and walked over to Hanna's bed,"here how about we invite Em over. I'm pretty sure she misses you too."

Mrs. Hastings rummaged through the refrigerator for the water pitcher. Familial problems have always made her a restless sleeper.

-CLANK-

"Alison! Where were you? I thought you were asleep in Spencer's room?"

"I had to go out,"

With her arms folded across her chest, Ali tried to make her way up to Spencer's. Veronica stood at the island counter staring at this mysterious girl.

"For what, what happened to your mouth?"

The worry in Mrs Hastings face was so genuine and motherly that Ali almost shed a tear. If only her mom was still here.

Alison stopped in her tracks," I must have scratched myself on a tree branch on the way over to the house."

The blonde still eased towards the stairs. Mrs. Hastings was a lawyer and good at it. She knows how to get answers out of career criminals a teenage girl with a secret shouldn't be hard.

"Can I go upstairs please,"

Veronica walked towards Alison.

"Why'd you have to go to your house at three in the morning?"

 _Who is she to be asking you all these questions? She isn't your mom. You know what you did to yours. This is all your fault. You knew what time to your father would be home. Then You ran your mouth like you always do. Shut up sometimes._

"Mrs. Hastings please I can't talk about this," Alison began to cry.

"Let me get some ice for your mouth. Just stay there please," Mrs Hastings hurried to the refrigerator once again.

Alison decided to take a seat on the stool. She watched Veronica gather the ice cubes into a towel wondering if her mother would have done the same when she had her first fall off of her bike. Mrs Hastings handed Ali the towel," did you get in a fight with someone?"

"Mrs Hastings if you tell my dad it's only gonna make things worst. Promise me you won't say anything," the blonde pleaded.

Like instinct, Veronica pulled Ali into a hearty hug.

"I'm just being weird; overly sensitive. I'm fine," with that The blonde retreated to Spencer's room.

Ali opened Spencer's door.

"What took you so long I almost sent out an S.O.S", Spencer closed the book she was reading.

"Too busy getting the third degree from your mom."

"Congrats you survived. I take it your dad was home," the brunette motioned towards Ali's face."

 **"** **Remember when I said I came over here to sleep?**


End file.
